UTPA STEM/CBI Courses/Computer Architecture/CPU Design

Course Title: Computer Architecture

Lecture Topic: CPU Design

Instructor: Yang Liu

Institution: University of Texas-Pan American

Backwards Design edit

Course Objectives

  • Primary Objectives- By the next class period students will be able to:
    • Design a simple CPU to execute instructions
  • Sub Objectives- The objectives will require that students be able to:
    • Operate various components such as register files, memory, ALU, control, etc.
    • Implmenet data path and control path
  • Difficulties- Students may have difficulty:
    • Interaction between data path and control path
    • Timing among different components

Model of Knowledge

  • Concept Map
    • Data path
      • Register file
      • ALU
      • memory
    • Control path
      • Control
      • ALU control
    • Execution of instruction
  • Content Priorities
    • Enduring Understanding
      • CPU needs both data path and control path to execute instructions***
    • Important to Do and Know
      • issues for actual circuit implementation such as clocking methodology
    • Worth Being Familiar with
      • Much more complications in real word product CPU
      • Relationship between CPU design and instruction set

Assessment of Learning

  • Formative Assessment
    • In Class (groups)
      • Exercise on how each component works
      • Exercise on how an instruction is executed on the data path and control path
    • Homework (individual)
      • calcuate the critical path for given delays of components
  • Summative Assessment
    • Write a simulator of a simple CPU

Legacy Cycle edit

OBJECTIVE By the next class period, students will be able to:

  • Design a simple CPU to execute instructions

The objectives will require that students be able to:

  • Operate various components such as register files, memory, ALU, control, etc.
  • Implmenet data path and control path


THE CHALLENGE IPAD is a sucessful product of Apple. Apple decides to hire new engineers to design a new CPU for next generation of IPAD. You are hired after your graduation. Show the link to the news on Apple: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/12/31/apple_to_expand_cpu_design_group_beyond_ipad_a4.html

How do you design a CPU for that purpose?


GENERATE IDEAS

  • Students discuss in pair what are needed inside a CPU
  • Students talk about the tools needed to design CPU if they know any


MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES


RESEARCH & REVISE

  • Students should know there are various components inside a CPU
  • Students discuss how to use various components in a CPU
  • Lectures on data path and control path is given
  • Students search more information from Internet on CPU


TEST YOUR METTLE

  • In-class exercises.


GO PUBLIC

  • Complete the simulator project

Pre-Lesson Quiz edit

  1. CPU only needs to read, process, and write data. Is this claim correct or not? Why or why not?

Test Your Mettle Quiz edit

  1. Assume register i holds integer value i. (a) if rr1=5, rr2=12, wr=6, wd=-1, and regWrite=0, what happens after accessing the register file(including output and any other changes)? (b) if rr1=5, rr2=12, wr=6, wd=-1, and regWrite=1, what happens after accessing the register file(including output and any other changes)? (c) if rr1=5, rr2=12, wr=5, wd=-1, and regWrite=0, what happens after accessing the register file(including output and any other changes)?
  2. (a) What does regDst=1 and regWrite=1 mean for R-format instructions? (b) Why are ALUsrc=1, memToReg=1, regWrite=1 and memRead=1 for lw instruciton? (c) Why do the values of regDst and memToReg not matter for beq instruction?
  3. Show the execution and critical path of instruction "add $s0, $s1, $s2" with given component delays.